Animated figurine and music box combination



Dec. 12, 1961 J. E. FAULKNER ANIMATED FIGURINE AND MUSIC BOX COMBINATION Filed Oct. 22, 1959 INVENTOR. James E Fau/kner United States Patent 7 3,012,366 ANIMATED FIGURINE AND MUSIC BOX COMBINATION James E. Faulkner, Eastchester, N.Y., assignor to Lador,

Incorporated, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Oct. 22, 1959. Ser. No. 848,117 2 Claims. (Cl. 46-118) This invention relates to a mechanism for mechanically actuating figurines to effect life-like movement thereof and in particular to an animated mechanical figurine and music box combination.

With regard to the latter, the actuation of various movable portions of said figurine is effected synchronously by means of the motive power of a music box assembly via an actuating means associated with a driving or driven element of said music box, said actuating means preferably comprising a shaft having mounted axially thereon a cam configurated to cooperate with one or a plurality of elements associated with the figurine.

The term figurine as employed herein is meant to include any animated representation of objects or living things.

The invention has particular reference to mechanical toys and music box combinations simple in construction and inexpensive to manufacture.

It is thus an object of the invention to provide a mechanism for mechanically and synchronously actuating a toy figurine in simulation of life-like or other movement.

Another object is to provide a mechanical figurine and music box combination wherein the figurine is adapted to be mechanically operated during music play.

A further object is to provide a mechanically operable figurine and music box combination of simple design relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

These and other objectswill more clearly appear from the following description and the appended drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 depicts generally a figurine and music box combination in which various movable portions of a doll, e.g. the head and the two arms, are adapted to be synchronously actuated via a shaft associated with said music box;

FIG. 2 shows in greater detail that portion of the combination illustrating the animating mechanism employed in effecting animation of the figurine during music play;

I FIG. 3 is a view taken along line 33 looking in the direction of the arrows showing in plan the configuration of a substantially disc-shaped cam and the lever-type camfollower elements employed in transmitting motion to various portions of the figurine;

FIG. 4 is a view taken along line 4-4 in the direction of the arrows showing the under portion of the cam which comprises radially extending serrations adapted to confer up and down movement to a levered element;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are illustrative of a retractile element which may be employed as part of the figurine supporting element whereby a portion of the figurine may be caused to be pivoted forward towards the horizontal out of sight where the figurine is contained in a utility box or the like.

In one embodiment, a mechanism is provided for ac tuating an animatable figurine comprising a shaft, means for rotating said shaft, a cam axially fixed to said shaft, wherein said cam is characterized by a surface configuration adapted during rotation to coact with a lever-type cam-follower element connected to animatable portions of the figurine. In a preferred embodiment the cam is disc-shaped and has a hub integraltherewith, the hub being configurated to effect a camming action on one of the lever type elements.

In still another embodiment, an animated figurine and 3,012,366 Patented Dec. 12-, 1961 music box combination is provided, the music box being conventionally common. In this embodiment, the motive power of the music box which is used to drive a rotatable drum having peripherally disposed spikes adapted to engage a reed, is directly or indirectly employed to animate the figurine during music play. In this embodiment, a shaft extends axially from the rotatable drum and has axially mounted on it a cam having at least one camming surface whichcooperates with at least one element connected to a movable portion of a figurine which is supported about the shaft. Thus, during music play, the shaft rotates, causing the cam to turn to actuate the element connected to the movable portion of the figurine.

Referring to the drawing, a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 1 comprising elements of a doll without the wearing apparel, said embodiment being constituted of a music box container 1 having contained therein a music box assembly, said container supporting at its top a frame 2 of sheet metal held by legs 3 connected to the container. The frame serves to support the various movable elements of the doll as well as shaft 4 extending upwardly from the music box assembly Within container 1. The shaft has axially mounted thereon a cam indicated generally at 5 adapted to cooperate with frame-supported lever arms 6, 7, 8 connected to right arm 9, head 10 and left arm 11 of the figurine, respectively, the lever elements being rotatably held by clasps shown in more detail in FIG. 2. For the purposes of this embodiment the legs of the figurine indicated generally at 12 are non-operating although it will be appreciated that the legs may also be adapted for movement.

The novel combination will be more clearly understood by referring to FIGS. 2 to 4 which show in more detail the elements which cooperate to effect animation during music play. As illustrated in FIG. 2, levers 6, 7 and 8 are rotatably supported by clasps 13 which are shown as part of frame 2, each of the levers 6, 7 and 8 being provided with bent end portions 14, 15 and 16, respectively, adapted to cooperate as cam-followers with the axially mounted cam indicated generally at 5.

The cam is formed of a generally disc-shaped portion 17 (note FIG. 3) having axially integral therewith a hub 18 of substantially oblong configuration (note FIGS. 2 and 3). In addition, the disc-shaped portion of the cam has a land or ledge 19 which extends outwardly from at least a peripheral portion of said cam, an open sector 20 being cut out of the cam substantially diametrically opposite said land. The under portion of the cam is provided with radially protruding and axially extending serrations 21 (FIGS. 2 and 4). The shaft 4 axially supporting said cam is connected via a coupling 22 to a shaft extending from drum 23 which is part of the music box assembly in container 1. I

Since the music box assembly employed is conventional, only that portion is shown necessary to understand the invention. The rotatable drum 23 is connected by suit able gearing (not shown) to a spring motor (not shown), the drum being provided with spikes or hammers24 which operate a reed 25 to produce musicdepending on the position of the spikes on the drum. The drum, reed'and other portions of the assembly me cooperably supported by a frame 26 within container 1.

Thus, the cam described above is capable by means of the hub, the serrations and the land to effect the sequential animation of the figurine via shaft 4 While drum 23 rotates during music play. As the cam rotates, cam-follower 14 of lever 6 rides the peadts and valleys of serrations 21 to effect an intermittent rocking movement of hand 9 to simulate the act of powdering the face. During a portion of the cycle, the hub 18 earns against cam-followers 15 of lever 7 to cause the head to turn, the head direction of the mirror.

being biased in the frontal position via spring 27. During another portion of the cycle, cam follower l6 rides over land or ledge 19 to raise arm 11 with the hand holding mirror 28.

The sequential animation of the figurine is described as follows:

During music play, shaft 4 rotates via coupling 22 causing axially fixed earn 5 to rotate accordingly. The cycle is assumed to start for purposes of this illustration with arm'9 in the raised position shown in FIG. 1. As the cam turns, cam follower 14 of lever 6 rides the serrations whereby the figurine appears to apply powder to its face. In the meantime, the rotation of the hub causes the head to turn intermittently while the powdering of the face is being simulated. Arm 11 remains in the position shown in FIG. 1. As open sector 20 reaches and frees cam-follower 14, lever 6 rotates by gravity to bring arm 9 downward; as this is occurring cam-follower 16 begins to ride the peripherally extending land 19 whereby arm 11 with a the hand mirror is raised to the level of the face. At the same time, hub 18 has assumed a position whereby it cams face 18a or 18b against cam-follower whereby the biased head of the figurine is caused to turn in the After land 19 has completely traversed the position of cam-follower 16, the cam-follower is freed and arm 11 is lovered by gravity and the head returned to the frontal position via the freeing action of hub 18 and biasing spring 27. The cycle repeats wherein cam-follower 14 again engages serrations 21 to cause the raising of arm 9 to the position of FIG. 1 during which position it rocks intermittently as follower 14 rides the serrations.

While it has been shown that the invention is particularly applicable to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the invention is also applicable to other types of figurines and music box combinations. For example, the invention is applicable to those embodiments where the figurine is mounted in a utility box or the like so that when the lid of the box is raised, at least a portion of the figurine is caused by biasing means to assume the vertical position.

A mechanism for biasing the figurine upward is shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 as comprising a rigid spring 29 which in effect is employed similarly as coupling 22, that is it connects shaft 4 with the shaft of the rotatable drum 23. As in FIGS. 1 and 2, frame 2 would be employed except it would be hinged to the top of container 1 at 30. As in FIGS. 1 and 2, shaft 4 would have a cam (not shown) similar to cam 5 and frame 2 above the cut-away portion would support the various lever-type elements connected to the figurine. However, these parts have been omitted in FIG. 5 as not essential tothe understanding of'the operation of the spring. By deflecting frame 2 in the forward position, pivoting would occur at hinges 30 and the spring will deflect as in FIG. 6. Where the mechanism is contained in a box, the mere raising or lowering of a lid 31 will effect the operation. Besides a spring, other resilient elements may be employed.

It will be obvious to those skilled inthe art that many modifications and variations of the embodiments herein discussed can be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention which is defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is: v 1. In an animated figurine a mechanism for effecting the movement thereof comprising a shaft, a substantially disc-shaped cam axially mounted on said shaft, said cam having a plurality of sequentially arranged camming surfaces comprising radially protruding and axially extending serrations at the under portion of said cam, a land extending outwardly from at least a peripheral portion of said cam, an open sector cut out of said cam across a portion of said serrations, a hub integral with and axially aligned with said cam, said hub having at least one camming surface, a figurine supported about said shaft, said figurine having a first movable part, a second movable part, a third movable part, a lever element connected to each of said movable parts, an end portion of each lever being adapted as a cam-follower each to cooperate with one of said sequentially arranged camming surfaces so that the lever element connected to said first movable part rides the serrations to effect an up and down oscillation of said part, so that the lever element connected to said second movable part rides the land at each revolution of the cam to effect a raised position of said second part in timed sequence to the up and down oscillation of said first movable part and so that the lever element connected to said third movable part rides the hub to effect a sidewise rotation of said third part, whereby during the rotation of said shaft the movable parts of the figurine are actuated in timed sequence in accordance with the rotation of said cam.

2. In an animated figurine and music box combination in which a conventional music box assembly is employed having a source of motive power driving a rotatable drum provided with spikes engaging a reed, the combination comprising a shaft axially connected to said drum, a substantially disc-shaped cam axially mounted on said shaft, said cam having a plurality of sequentially arranged camming surfaces comprising radially protruding and axially extending serrations at the under portion of said cam, a land extending outwardly from at least a peripheral portion of said cam, an open sector cut out of said cam across a portion of said serrations substantially diametrically opposite said land, a substantially oblong'hub integral with and axially aligned with said cam, a figurine supported about said shaft, said figurine having movable parts comprising a head, and a pair of arms, a lever element connected to each of said movable parts, an end portion of each lever being adapted as a cam-follower each to cooperate with one of said sequentially arranged camming surfaces so that the lever element connected to one arm rides the serrations to effect an up and down movement of the arm, so that the lever element connected to the other arm rides the land each revolution of the cam to effect an upward positioning of the other arm in timed sequence to the up and down movement of the first arm, and so that the lever element connected to the head rides the hub to effect sidewise movement of the head,

610,291 .Thorens Sept. 6, 1898 1,777,712 Barnum Oct. 7, 1930 2,807,118 Reuge Sept. 24, 1957 

